Florence & Jennifer NAIGAON, MARCH 19, 2009: The Parishioners of Mary Help of Christians, Naigaon, geared themselves up to wholeheartedly participate in the Lenten Mission, organized by the Parish Priest Fr. Vivian D’Souza and the Parish Council, from March 8 to 12. The Mission preacher was Fr. Vincent Barbosa who is the Assistant Parish Priest at the St. Vincent de Paul Church, Khar. During the five days of the Mission he touched on the topics of the importance of being familiar with the Word of God, idol worship, Mary, the Catholic Church. He showed us how intensively the church uses scripture for its liturgical and Eucharistic services and how the Church encourages the faithful to read and understand Scripture daily. He spoke at length on the sacraments and showed us how they have their basis in the scriptures, and the use of Scriptures in the celebration of the Sacraments. He also enlightened us on the strategy with which the New Life and other break away groups in the Church, take away our Catholics. On one day of the Mission, we were fortunate to have our Pastor, Bishop Thomas Dabre celebrate the Eucharist and speak very convincingly on the One, Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. Both Fr. Valerian and the Bishop traced the history of the breakaway groups to Martin Luther and spoke about the fragmentation of the Church by self-styled pastors who capture people with their forceful use of selective Bible passages and fellowship in their small churches. We have the richness of Scripture, together with rich traditions and the Sacraments. The Mission was held in the Society Quadrangle of the Citizen Complex to give many the opportunity to attend; and people responded well. We had a good crowd for all the days and people stayed back to clarify their doubts and anxieties. These five days of grace, really empowered the faithful to face the followers of these breakaway groups as they keep knocking at their doors.